Portulaca plant named ‘Duecupgraje’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Portulaca  plant named ‘Duecupgraje’, characterized by its semi-upright to spreading growth habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and large red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Portulaca hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUECUPGRAJE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Portulaca plant, botanically known as Portulaca hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duecupgraje’.

The new Portulaca plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Portulaca plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Portulaca plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2010 of a proprietary selection of Portulaca hybrida identified as code number F-016-2116, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Portulaca hybrida identified as code number F-004-161525, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Portulaca plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Portulaca plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2013, has shown that the unique features of this new Portulaca plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Portulaca have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duecupgraje’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duecupgraje’ as a new and distinct Portulaca plant:

-   -   1. Semi-upright to spreading growth habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have more reddish-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Portulaca can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Portulaca differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Portulaca are more compact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Portulaca also can be compared to plants of the Portulaca ‘Red on Yellow’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Portulaca differed primarily from plants of ‘Red on Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Portulaca were more compact than plants of         ‘Red on Yellow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Portulaca had shorter and broader leaves         than plants of ‘Red on Yellow’.     -   3. Plants of the new Portulaca had larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Red on Yellow’.     -   4. Plants of the new Portulaca and ‘Red on Yellow’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Red on Yellow’ had red purple, orange         red and yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Portulaca plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Portulaca plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duecupgraje’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Portulaca production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 20 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Portulaca hybrida ‘Duecupgraje’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Portulaca             hybrida identified as code number F-016-2116, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Portulaca             hybrida identified as code number F-004-161525, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; close to 159C in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Semi-upright to spreading plant             habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit about 160 to 210             lateral branches potentially developing per plant; pinching             enhances branching potential.         -   Overall plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 80 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 22 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 177D and 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Shape, developing leaves.—Elliptic.         -   Shape, fully expanded leaves.—Obovate.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; fleshy,             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 150C. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,             close to 150C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 150C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers; freely flowering             habit with potentially about 600 to 1,100 flowers developing             per plant; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about             twelve weeks after planting; in the garden, plants flower             continuously from spring until autumn in Germany.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one day on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 5.4 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Corolla consists of five petals             fused at the base. Length: About 1.7 cm. Width: About             1.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N74A;             color does not change with development. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to N74B; color does not             change with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Two to three fused into a             tubular calyx. Length: About 5.4 mm. Width: About 4.6 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 3.2 mm.             Angle: Mostly upright to outwardly. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity of stamens per             flower: About 40 to 60. Filament length: About 3.8 mm.             Filament color: Close to 160B. Anther shape: Oval, bi-lobed.             Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 21B.             Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 23A.             Gynoecium: Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style length: About             8.8 mm. Style color: Close to 34A. Stigma color: Close to             33A. Ovary color: Close to 143A.         -   Seeds & fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Portulaca. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Portulaca have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures ranging     from about 7° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Portulaca have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Portulaca plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Portulaca plant named ‘Duecupgraje’ as illustrated and described. 